RIVER OF FIRE, RIVER OF LIGHT

A literary novel focuses on two siblings on the run.

The year is 2009 in St. Louis. Elizabeth Bauer, 15, and Mikey Bauer, 9, are in a predicament. Their mother has received a hefty prison sentence for driving while intoxicated and killing a woman in a car accident. Elizabeth and Mikey’s father died previously from a drug overdose. The children are supposed to go to Connecticut with their wealthy aunt and uncle. It seems like the best option in a bad situation, but the kids do not trust their relatives for reasons that will later become clear. Elizabeth decides they should flee. The siblings stow away in the back of a stranger’s van unbeknownst to the driver. When the van crashes, killing the driver, they are near a truck stop in Wisconsin. The truck stop happens to be next to a protected natural area, providing the ideal place for the Bauer kids to figure out their next move. That is until they are discovered by a retired geology professor, Gregory “Finn” Finnegan. Finn is empathetic to their plight. He even supports Elizabeth’s theory that her mother was not actually driving when the fatal accident that put her behind bars took place. This frantic adventure features choices that will likely surprise readers. Want to escape from your new guardians? Why not hide in a van and figure it all out later? It is just one of the many crazy decisions that keep Hampel’s captivating story rolling as the fate of the Bauer siblings (and others) hang in the balance. Many descriptions along the way are well written, as when a character is killed and “sheets are presently brought in from somewhere to respectfully cover” this “venerable” figure. But the dialogue is often too long-winded. Elizabeth remarks after trying some “super-duper chocolate” ice cream that “you’re right Mr. Finn, this is the best ice cream I’ve ever had.” Nevertheless, this audacious search for justice never ceases to astound.

An unapologetically wild and engaging romp through middle America.